Belfast, Maine
Belfast Waterfront
This post was originally published May 9, 2024.
It’s a wonder that I haven’t written about Belfast on my blog yet. Since college, the coastal town has been the halfway point between me and many of my friends. Even now, I visit the town about once a month to meet with my women’s group, so in today’s post, I want to share some of the places I’ve visited over the years in Belfast.
One friend of mine worked at Chase’s Daily Restaurant. The establishment focuses on farm-to-table, vegetarian cuisine. Maybe because of this, I always think of sustainable agriculture when I think of Belfast. I’ve come to know the town for its co-op and focus on local business.
Speaking of sustainability, when my eco-conscious friend and I visited the town, we always swung by The Green Store. She liked to peruse the shelves to see if there was any green living item that she had not heard of or acquired yet.
Then we would walk over to Old Professor’s Bookshop for me. As the name might apply, the bookshop carries the same vibe as an old study. After walking through Barnes and Nobles a thousand times, it feels like a little adventure to walk through a dusty bookshop. Little knick knacks line the shelves with hundreds of used books that are worn around the bindings.
Belfast Harbormaster
Walking down the street this time of year has been particularly enjoyable. Tulips and daffodils poke through the grass and traffic is a quiet hum compared to the summer months. I swung by some stores I’ve never been in before, including a games store and a store filled with plants and hand-crafted goods. Little pieces of sidewalk art directed me around the downtown, shepherding me from one curiosity to the next.
Like all roads lead to Rome in Europe, all roads lead to the harbor in Maine. Almost every time I visit the town, I sit down by the docks. Whether it’s at the little park or in my car at the boat launch, I like to look out across the water. One day, when my pain is more manageable, I’d like to walk the long harbor walk that crosses the river. Like most of Maine’s waterfronts, shipbuilding is popular in Belfast. So is lobstering. As I walked along the winding paths, I spotted a large stack of lobster traps across from Nautilus Seafood & Grill. For all the times I’ve been there, I realized I don’t have any pictures of the area. I pulled out my camera and made sure that was no longer the case.
Belfast Boat Launch